Miscellaneous

Volleyball Hits the Road for Tough Competition at the Northwest ChallengeThe Boise State volleyball team gears up for its second weekend of competition and its first road trip of the season. The Broncos head to Portland, Ore., to participate in their second season of the Northwest Challenge, a four-team round-robin style

► What's Happening - The Boise State volleyball team gears up for its second weekend of competition and its first road trip of the season. The Broncos head to Portland, Ore., to participate in their second season of the Northwest Challenge, a four-team round-robin style tournament. The tournament includes host team Portland State, Gonzaga and Washington who was ranked No. 3 in the nation in the AVCA Division I Top-25 coaches' poll.

► Tournament Information - Portland State has created a tournament central website where fans can find information on each team, updated score and live stats and video.

Northwest Challenge Tournament Site

Looking at Boise State...► In General - The Broncos hit the road for two straight weeks to participate in the Northwest Challenge tournament (Sept. 4-5) and the Loyola Marymount tournament (Sept. 11-12). Their next home match is not until Sept. 17 when they host Utah Valley University in a 7 p.m. match at Bronco Gym.

► Quick Look at the Broncos - After their first weekend of play, the Broncos hold a 0-3 record on the season, falling to Northern Arizona and Tulsa (3-1 each) as well as Cal State Northridge (3-0). Boise State's participants for the Bronco Invitational included six newcomers to the 2009 roster as well as seven returners. Freshman Liz Harden was named to the Boise State Bronco Invitational All-Tournament Team.

An Overview: Boise State vs. Washington...► The Series - Boise State and Washington hold a tied 5-5 all-time series record between the two teams. The series dates back to Sept. 3, 1983, with Boise State winning the first five meetings and Washington hold a five-match winning streak over the Broncos currently. In their most recent meeting, Washington earned a 3-0 win on Sept. 5, 2008 in Seattle.

► About Washington - The Huskies enter the weekend with a 3-0 record and No. 3 national ranking in the AVCA Division I Top-25 Coaches' Poll released Aug. 31. The Huskies swept San Jose State, Seattle and San Diego State in 3-0 matches at their home tournament "The Invitational" this past weekend. The team returns this season after advancing to the NCAA quarterfinal round during the 2008 season. They return 10 letterwinners and six starters to their roster.

An Overview: Boise State vs. Portland State► The Series - The Broncos and Vikings have met up 16 times since their first match on Oct. 4, 1982. The Vikings have had the upper hand through the years, holding a 14-2 series lead over Boise State. They also hold a two-match winning streak coming into the season. In their most recent match-up, Portland State earned a 3-0 win on Sept. 4, 2008 in Seattle. ► About Portland State - The Vikings return as the hailing Big Sky Conference champions as well as an NCAA Tournament qualifier. They return 10 letterwinners from last season as well as returning all six starters. Although a solid team, Portland State got off to a rough start this season with a 0-3 record at the MCM Elegante Classic hosted by New Mexico Aug. 28-29. They fell 1-3 to UC Santa Barbara as well as dropping 2-3 matches against New Mexico and Delaware.

An Overview: Boise State vs. Gonzaga► The Series - Boise State and Gonzaga have faced-off 23 times in their series history, dating back to 1976. Boise State holds a 14-9 lead over the Bulldogs overall, but Gonzaga has won the last two meetings. The Bulldogs pulled off a 3-1 win over Boise State on Sept. 5, 2008 in their most recent match.

► About Gonzaga - The Bulldogs enter the season with 10 letterwinners and five starters returning to their roster. In their season opening tournament, Gonzaga was able to earn a 1-2 record at the Weber State University Tournament. They fell to Utah Valley, 3-1, as well as Weber State, 3-2, but defeated Utah State, 3-2.